Squandered Chances
by Darksonickiller
Summary: Having developed strong feelings for the dragon warrior, Viper struggles to come to terms and tell the great panda. However, when tragedy strikes and the warrior is lost forever, she is forced to face both her crushing guilt the fact she will never get the chance to tell him how she felt. Credit for this goes to Jeweled Pen. Will update weekly until complete.
1. Vultra's Revenge

Chapter 1: Vultra's Revenge

Vultra smirked, her eyes locked on the fool below, wrapped in a straw cape and wearing a straw conical hat. But there was no disguising such a large figure.

The Dragon Warrior. The greatest kung fu expert the world had ever known. Defeater of the betrayer, the lost peacock and the monstrous chi stealing warrior. She ran a wing over her beak. To imagine the great Shen, her commander, had been defeated by such a fool.

Laying this trap had been easy. Posing as bandits, attacking lone travelers. So close to the Jade Palace, it was only natural the Furious Five and the Dragon Warrior would have to stop them. Of course, the warriors had tried ambushing the bandits a few times, but Vultra was smart. She'd lost a few bandits, given the kung fu masters hope.

But never anyone she was afraid to lose. Usually other bandits she had hired for the task, rather than risking those closest to her. She was always careful. Watching. Waiting. And now it had paid off. The kung fu masters had finally divided themselves, trying to catch them by using themselves as bait.

Little did they know that the bait had been her intention all along. They believed they were only after small time merchants. But the Dragon Warrior, his head, was the ultimate prize. Her beak widened into a cruel smile. Soon, he would die. She lifted a wing and watched him move. Soon. Any moment now…

THERE!

She flicked her wing, signaling. Her soldiers, the few wolves remaining of Shen's once great army, moved quickly. The ground under the massive, cloaked panda shifted and he stumbled forward. A moment later, a massive, iron cage fell from above, trapping him. The sharpened edges of it digging into the ground. She could barely contain her glee. It had all been so simple. Now for the final piece. She wanted to watch him die, to see his pain and suffering for all the destruction he had brought on her lord.

So she flew down, landing in front of the cage, her beak in a thin, cruel smile. "Ah, Dragon Warrior. It has been too long."

The great panda slowly raised his eyes. "Ah, you. I should have known that… you were..." He paused. "Err, have we met?"

She blinked. "… Well, no, but-"

"Then why did you say it has been too long?"

"Well, we did meet, but-"

"Because I think I'd remember you. You've got this whole… violent, evil and ugly bird thing going on."

She felt her hackles rise. How DARE he! "I met you when-"

"Wait, did you ask for my autograph? Because I get a lot of that and I don't-"

"ENOUGH! CEASE YOUR PRATTLING YOU FOOL!" she yelled, staring at him with furious eyes. "I am Vultra!" She raised a wing high. "Soldier of-"

"Vultra, Vultra, no, not a kung fu master. I'd remember a Vultra style. Who are you again?"

"SHEN!"

"Wait, you're Shen?" he asked, an amused smile on his face. "I already beat one Shen, I think I can handle another.

She let out an angry growl, digging one of her talons into the ground. "I am, was, a soldier of the great Shen. I was there on that day you defeated our cannons. On the day you KILLED my lord. I was-"

"Hey, he went and killed himself. He was the one who decided to go all cutty cutty when-"

"CEASE your prattling! Ugh! I don't know WHY I even… ENOUGH!" She turned her back to him. "Now," she ordered, lifting a wing.

The Dragon Warrior just chuckled. "Let me guess, cannons? I kind of think I already kicked their butts, it-" He was cut off when a wave of brown liquid suddenly came pouring down the hill side, enveloping the cage, and him. After a few moments it stopped and he was hacking and coughing, pushed up against the bars. "W-what, hoping to drown me when I'm trapped here? Won't work. I'm very good at holding my breath."

"Nonsense, warrior," Vultra said, shaking her head. "Cannons wouldn't work on you, you've demonstrated that. Fighting you? You have defeated hundreds of fierce, deadly warriors. No. That would be foolish to even try. However..."

"Wait… sesame oil?" the panda asked.

She nodded, turning back to the oil covered panda. "Indeed. They say the Dragon Warrior can survive even a raging inferno… shall we test this? Light it!" she ordered. There was a light crackle before one of the wolves lit a torch.

The Dragon Warrior gulped. "You know, I'd be really, really scared right now if not for one thing. Instead, I'm mostly just hungry. Did you have to use sesame oil?"

Vultra cocked an eye, while her soldier paused in confusion. "Oh? And what is that? You're alone, there's no one to save you. You can't escape those bars, can you? What could you possibly have to save you now?"

"Well, you made one teensy itty bitty very small microscopic miscalculation."

"Oh?" she asked, motioning the wolf to bring the torch closer. "And what is that?"

"He's not alone," a voice said from under the cape. The panda lifted his right hand and something small and green shot out, lashing out through the air at the torch. With a flick of its tail, the torch was sent hurtling away, snuffing out on the ground.

Vultra's eyes widened. VIPER?! How were one of the Furious Five here? How could he…

The snake moved like lightning, dodging and weaving between her troops, tripping them with practiced ease, coiling her body around them and using their own limbs to fight off her troops before sending them toppling into each other. "Stop her! STOP HER!" Vultra yelled, shaking her head. But her troops were losing. Even one of the five was too much for their small numbers.

No. No no no no NO! She would NOT have her vengeance lost here! "Light it! LIGHT IT!" she shrieked, before lunging at the torch herself. She caught it in a wing, coiling her feathers around the piece of wood, staring at the dim glow that remained. If she could just spark the-

A tendril wrapped around the torch and yanked it down, flipping her head over talons and slamming her to the ground. She rolled, dazed, staring up at the snake. "N-no… I won't… be..."

The torch was tossed off the mountain side and the snake only smirked, diving between two more of her troops and tripping them up, making them crash into each other.

"We're coming!" a voice yelled, one not of her troops.

More of the furious five. She couldn't believe it. She'd failed. She'd… failed. Vultra stared at the snake, before turning and leaping off the cliffside herself, diving down.

She'd find a way. Somehow. She swore. She would make the Dragon Warrior pay, even if not w ith his life. All of them.

Po let out a sigh of relief when Tigress finally managed to lift the cage out of the dirt slightly with one of her kicks, allowing him to just barely crawl out. "Whew. Thanks, guys. I mean, we totally had it handled, but thanks for the assist."

Tigress quickly stepped back. "It's fine, Dragon warrior. Their leader escaped, we should go after them." She motioned and Crane, the only flier amongst them took off, after the vulture.

Meanwhile, the remaining members of the Furious Five, Monkey, Tigress, Viper and Mantis helped Po bind up the beaten bandits, preparing them for transport to prison. Soon after they were bound and hauled off, Crane returned, shaking his head.

"I'm sorry, guys. I tried to catch her, but she disappeared into some nearby caves. I tried to find her, but I couldn't."

"Eh, we captured most of them, it'll be fine," Po said with a shrug. "I say we go back and fill up the tank! Can't kung fu on an empty stomach, am I right?" he asked with a chuckle. "And great plan, Viper. They never saw it coming," he said, giving the snake a nod.

"Oh, well, err, it was fun. I mean, you know, just-"

"Coming out and being all awesome? Yeah! You were all 'he's not alone!' and then 'woo-pah!' and then 'have a nice trip, see you next fall!'" he said, punching and kicking the air while they began the ascent back to the Jade Palace. "I owe you big!" he said, before offering his hand. "Hey, if you're tired after all of that, I don't mind giving you another lift. Wish I could have been there with you, kicking butt, owning a bunch of soldiers. You were awesome!"

She flushed and slithered up his arm. "I am a little tired..." she lied, coiling around his neck. His fur was so soft and warm, even if it did smell like sesame oil now. So did she, though, so she could hardly complain. He felt warm and safe, nice. Comforting. Wonderful. She gave a content sigh while he talked, gushing about how awesome she'd been.

Personally, she didn't think it was such a big deal. Once they'd figured out the bandits were targeting lone travelers, it was easy to determine what they'd do. Send one of them on their own. From there, it was either her or mantis who'd have to go.

She felt a little heat travel through her body, tightening just a little bit, still careful not to choke her carrier. Of course, it had been a bit difficult to convince them to let her go with Po. She'd used the obvious 'I can coil around him easier' approach, while Mantis would have just hidden. Tigress had been the other bait, and Viper had almost had to go with her. She'd heavily insisted that the best course was for her to go on him. Po was far larger than Tigress, easier to hide Viper. But that, of course, had been a lie.

This had been the perfect opportunity to coil around Po and feel close to him. His fur, despite being soaked in sesame oil, still felt so warm and soft against her scales. The smell wasn't bad, either. He was always eating, so it wasn't odd to have him smell of different food products.

All too soon she heard the door of the Jade Palace open and the group make their way in. She heard the panda's stomach rumble and couldn't help but smile despite herself. Grudgingly, she slid away from him, landing on the ground with a light splatter. Po glanced down, that ever present grin on his face. "Man, I am starving. Do you think Shifu will let us order take out? I would fight off a-"

"I believe before anything else, Dragon Warrior, you require a bath," a voice called out. Po and the Furious Five turned to see the small master of the palace standing there, Shifu. He watched them with mild annoyance. "Po, you are making a mess across these sacred tiles. What is that?"

"Sesame oil," the panda said nervously. "We, err..."

"And Viper. I expect better from you," he admonished.

"Sorry, Master Shifu," she said feebly.

"I take it the threat has been resolved?" the master asked.

"Err, well, about that. We, err, captured most of them, but… their leader got away," Po said, poking his fingers together. "Crane went after her but..."

"I see. Then you've returned empty handed. Did you at least learn anything valuable?"

Viper quickly rose herself up. "Yes. Her name is Vultra, she was one of the soldiers under Shen. she's after Po, to get revenge against him."

"Vultra… I see." Shifu gave a nod and turned away. "Both of you. Clean yourselves up, then we'll ready a plan to deal with this bandit."

"Err, Master Shifu-" Po started, lifting a hand.

"And yes. You may order take out. AFTER you've cleaned yourselves. Now go! And stop getting oil everywhere!"

"Yes sir!" Po said, before turning and trying to run off, only to slip and slide out the door. Viper chuckled and followed after him.

Viper slowly slithered through the water, occasionally flicking her tail against the bubbles. To her right, a screen was set up, separating the female's from the male's tub. She didn't have to see through it, though, to know Po was on the other side. He was certainly loud enough. She smiled when she heard the light clatter of wood against wood.

He'd brought his toys with him into the bath. She could, very faintly, hear him mumbling to himself while he played with his toys.

"Yeah, I'm the Dragon Warrior… pow, bang, wazah!" he whispered. "I've always got something… up my sleeve."

She held in her snickers, letting him think he was quiet enough she couldn't hear. It didn't bother her any, that he enjoyed playing with his action figures in the tub. That was just one of the many wonderful things that made Po be Po.

He was unlike anyone she had ever met, even when she had first met him and had considerable doubts that he could ever be the Dragon Warrior, he'd managed to prove them all wrong and defeat Tai Lung. Again and again he had managed to make a fool of himself, managed to stand opposite, opposed, to everything they had believed kung fu was. Everything Shifu had taught them.

And yet it worked. He was his own person. He had performed deeds none of them ever could. Defeated masters none of them could ever hope to. Attained mastery of chi, gained inner peace. Saved all of their lives. He'd even given up his life in order to protect them all. Yes, he'd made so many mistakes. But life wasn't about not making mistakes. He'd shown them, over and over, that no matter how many screw ups you made, it was what you did after that determined who you truly were.

"Yah pow! Oh no, Dragon Warrior, have mercy. Of course… I'll have mercy… with a side of justice. Bam!" Po said, his voice rising a bit.

She couldn't contain her light chuckle, glancing at the screen separating them. He was so different from anyone she'd ever met. The Dragon Warrior, the one and only. There could never, would never, be another like him.

She idly glanced at her tail, swaying it from side to side. He was unique. His style was unorthodox, but powerful. He was someone so strong and amazing and worth idolizing.

And yet he idolized them. She saw it in the way he looked at them. How giddy he was whenever they practiced together. She felt her heart beat a little faster. How honored he felt just to be counted amongst them. He'd proven himself to be the best of all of them and yet that had never changed. He never stopped looking at them as if he was lucky to even know them, when they were in fact the lucky ones.

She closed her eyes and pressed the tip of her tail against her heart. She was lucky to have met him. He was so unique. So special. So… amazing. And her heart jumped just at the idea of spending more time with him.

"Hey, Viper?" Po's voice cut through her thoughts, making her jump.

"Yes? Po? What is it? Are you okay?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady.

"Yeah, I'm totally fine. I just wanted to ask about that move you did today. Where you snagged those two wolves charging at you and were all like, woo pah! And threw them into that third."

She blinked and then smiled. "Oh? What about it?"

"I wanted to know if you could teach me?" he asked.

Her heart did another jump. Her tongue darted out and she quickly nodded. "Oh, of course! It'll be an experience, trust me!" she said quickly.

That was another thing she had to admire. So much of their kung fu was new. Viper, monkey, mantis, tiger, crane and dragon. They all had to dedicate so much time to developing it and practicing it. Yet he always asked to learn moves from them, asked them to teach him. He was one of the greatest warriors in the land, possibly the greatest.

Yet he never looked down on them or let it go to his head. He pushed himself so hard, despite all his many flaws, to be the best he could be.

He raised them all up. Made them all better because of it. Through it.

She felt another small jump in her heart, before shaking her head.

She had feelings for him, she couldn't keep denying it, no matter how hard she tried. He was special. Unique. One of a kind. And over time, through challenge after challenge, he'd slowly made his way into her heart. Made her feel closer and closer to him.

She'd tried to deny it. Tried to brush it off as just wandering thoughts. The reason she liked practicing with him was that he was so different from the others. The reason she enjoyed being on missions with him was that he was so much more laid back and just fun.

But there was more to it than that. Time with him felt better. Even when it was just them staring up at the stars, their stomach's over filled with the evening's meal, she felt good. Even when he went on and on, rambling about a dozen different things, or talking about a master he'd already told about a thousand times, or said something completely irrelevant and unimportant, it felt good. It felt right. It felt…

He felt warm and good. She felt she could listen to him talk about all of those silly things for days. It wasn't the words, no. Never the words. It was his energy. His excitement. The way his eyes lit up. The way he'd kind of hop in place or start running or jumping because he was so excited he couldn't keep it contained. The way he'd fall down and try to brush it off as if it didn't matter, pretending he had meant to do that.

The way he'd try so much harder than any of them, because he was so scared he'd never be worth any of them.

She had to tell him. She felt the tears bubbling up in her eyes. She felt like her heart would burst, her entire body shaking. She had to tell him. She had to let him know. She couldn't keep denying or ignoring it. She glanced back to the screen, listening to him play with his toys. He was there. So close. All she had to say were those few words. Those few small words. If she could just do that. She couldn't keep denying it and pretending it would go away.

"Po..."

"Yeah, Viper?" he asked, stopping in his play.

Her tail shook from side to side, though the rest of her couldn't move. She had to tell him. She had to. They were alone. She'd just saved his life. It was the ideal time. Yet she couldn't make herself say the words. She had to. Why was it so hard? No. NO! She was Viper. She was one of the Furious Five. In his words? She was 'awesome'. She could do this.

She took a deep breath. "Po, I… I need to tell you I-"

"Hey, Po! Viper!" a voice called out and she heard the door open a bit, Monkey's voice echoing into the room. "Food's here! Dumplings! A whole slew of them! Maybe you'll beat your record!"

"Awesome! I'll be out soon!" Po yelled, before the door closed.

Viper let out a sigh of annoyance. She'd been so close. So incredibly close. Oh well. She could do it later. For now? They had dumplings to eat.

"Now bend and pull!" Viper said, watching the panda move with… well, she'd never call it grace. Po tended to more roll than slide, anyway. But it was a movement all his own. He bent his whole body, hands locked onto the dummies, before crashing them together. He then slid over their 'bodies', yanking them with him before letting go, sending them careening towards a third. He, however, continued rolling on the ground before finally crashing into the wall, ending in an upside down, dazed state.

"W-wooo… I did it… I'm the… awesomest..." he mumbled, wobbling his head from side to side. "I get them?"

"Indeed," Viper said, softly chuckling into her tail. He was so cute like that, just laying there, slightly bruised and disoriented.

He wobbled to his feet and stretched out his back, before smiling. "Okay, let's do it again!"

She nodded. "Yes… but ummm… before that, I need to tell you something," she said gently. She had to do this. She had to. She HAD to. She couldn't keep it bottled up forever. "Po… I..."

"What is it, Viper?" he asked with that innocent, goofy grin of his.

"I..." she whispered. She stared up at him, her heart pounding. He was Po. He was her friend. So what if he didn't feel the same way? So what if he decided to not give her a chance? At least she would know. That was the worst possible outcome, she told herself. It couldn't be worse than this. If he said no, she could move on. She'd finally know and she could just move on. "Po… I… really… I really enjoy these training sessions with you. They're fun."

"Really? That's great! I love training with you too, Viper! You're an amazing teacher!" he said proudly.

"Viper! Po! Bandits are attacking! We gotta go!" Monkey's voice rang out.

"On it!" Po yelled, before pausing. He reached out a hand to her. "Hey, want a lift?"

"S-sure," she said softly, sliding up his arm. She'd tell him later, she was certain. There was no need to rush it. She had all the time in the world. Though she couldn't help feeling thankful for the attack, as terrible as it was.

Vultra paced back and forth, staring out over the Jade Palace. There was nothing left for her. Nothing. Her men, imprisoned. Her vengeance, gone. She felt the hatred burn within, like that stupid panda should have. All she could think of was her vengeance. Her lord was gone. His armies depleted aside from her. She was all that remained.

She fell to her knees, her feathers puffing out while her gaze stayed low. She had failed. She was a failure. All she wanted was to get closure for her lord. To take vengeance for what that panda had done. All of China was to be Shen's. He was to rule. It was his destiny.

If not for one fat, stupid panda, it would have been his destiny.

She glanced back at the cannons, hidden away from the world. They couldn't kill the panda, no matter how much she wanted them to. He had defeated them before.

She would never be able to kill him.

She stared back at the palace with tear stained eyes.

Perhaps she couldn't kill him. But she could destroy what he held dear. Even if it took her life, even if she died for it, she would burn everything he had to the ground. Slowly, she got to her talons and wiped her eyes with a wing. She glanced at the little bit of supplies she had left, the small amount of coin.

She would give everything she had to hurt him as much as possible. Even if it destroyed her.

Once again her eyes focused on the palace and the warriors making their way up the stairs into its safe, protected belly.

He would know her scorn.

"Viper! Flexible!" Shifu demanded, making the snake freeze in place, tightening her movements. "That's NOT flexible!" he snapped.

She cringed, pulling away from the training dummy post sailing at her, quickly moving to the right to avoid another. She dove and weaved through the wooden posts in the training yard, moving through them as gracefully as she could.

Still, she felt the spinning posts occasionally scrape against her scales and nip at her tail. Try as she might, she kept making small, minor mistakes, resorting in her getting small marks across her body.

Finally, after what felt like forever, there was a gong signaling lunch. She made her way out from the wooden dummies, the rest of the Furious Five and Po making their way out as well from the other training tools.

"… Most of you have improved," Shifu said harshly, motioning them towards the exit. His eyes then fell on Viper. "Stay here, we must speak."

She gulped, the others giving her pitying glances but making their way out of the grounds. Viper looked to Shifu, awaiting his scolding. He only sighed and shook his head. "Viper… what is wrong?"

"Wrong? Nothing's wrong. I just-" She was silenced with a wave of his hand.

"Viper, you just got hit half a dozen times going through the training dummies. Once? I can accept. Twice? Forgivable. Three times? No longer coincidence. On top of that..." he trailed off, making her squirm.

"Well, I-"

"Were scheduled for the bladed rings today."

She blinked a few times, glancing back towards the dummies. She gave a nervous cough. "O-oh."

"Indeed, oh. Now, whatever you have on your mind must be incredibly important, no?"

She slowly slithered nervously from side to side. "I-I mean, I don't know if it's… that important, just, I mean, I just… err…"

"Oh, in the case it is not important, you should tell me."

She squeaked and froze in place. "I-I… I can't."

"You can't?" he asked, cocking an eye.

"It's just… I'm just..."

He sighed and shook his head, turning his back on her. "Whatever it is, Viper. It is interfering with your mastery of kung fu. You must decide which is more important to you. This distraction, or your skills." He glanced back. "The weight of your thoughts and feelings will only drag you down and stop your growth if you let them. You must accept them and release, if you are to develop. Now, come to lunch."

She sighed, giving a small nod and slithering after him. "Yes, Master Shifu..." she said gently.

What was more important? Was it really interfering that much? She wanted to tell him. She had to tell him. She would tell him. But how?

She barely tasted her lunch, lost in thought and occasionally glancing at the hulking panda besides her. How could she tell him? They were allies. Friends. If she did, could they go back to being friends if he rejected her? Was it worth the risk? She glanced to Shifu, who seemed to be in a discussion with Tigress about her form.

Was her master right? Was it affecting more than just her feelings, but her growth as well? Was it time she let these feelings truly out? She eyed her few remaining dumplings, slowly rolling them around on her plate with the tip of her tail. She kept pushing it off, again and again. Made excuses. Denied it. Hoped it would fade. But now it was only getting worse. Every time she fought with him, every time he did something silly or cute, she wanted to just wrap herself around him and hug him so tight he couldn't breath. Now it was to the point she couldn't even focus on her training.

Would he ever feel for her the way she felt for him? Could she keep going on, never knowing? She shook her head. She couldn't. She glanced up at Po, before looking around the table. Mantis was the first one done, racing off to get back to training. After him was Monkey, then Tigress. Shifu eyed the two for a moment, before getting back to his feet. "Join us once you've finished, Po. Viper," he said firmly. She wondered if that was concern in his eyes, or just her imagination.

Viper nodded. "Of course, Master Shifu." She waited for him to leave, before sighing. "Po?"

"Mmmm?" he asked, before stuffing another dumpling into his mouth.

"Tonight. Can you meet me by the Moon Pool?"

"Hm?" he asked, glancing down at her.

"At the end of the Hall of Warriors."

He gulped down the dumpling, pounding his chest a few times before coughing. "Of course! That'd be awesome! What for?"

She took a slow, deep breath. "Tonight I'll tell you, okay? It's a secret though, okay?" she said nervously, before turning and slithering away.

"Hey, are you going to finish that?" he asked, pointing to the uneaten dumplings on her plate.

She laughed and shook her head. "No, go ahead." She then slid through the door. Already she felt calmer, relief flowing through her. She had to tell him, now. There wouldn't be any more delays. No more second guessing. It felt good. Come what may, at least she would finally know the answer to her question and wants.

Viper slithered back and forth in front of the Moon Pool, her heart pounding. This was SUCH a stupid idea. So stupid. Now she was trapped. She tried to think of an excuse to have called him out here, any reason other than the one she truly felt. Something she could tell him.

She wasn't ready. She couldn't tell him. Possibly tomorrow. Or maybe the day after that. The day after that? Surely the day after that. They were expecting a visit from Master Chicken. After his visit, she was sure she'd be ready.

"So, Viper? Why'd you call me out here?" Po asked. She whipped around and her eyes rested on the large panda, making his way between the pillars of the Hall of Warriors towards her. She'd been so lost in thought she hadn't even heard him open the door.

She stared back at him, nervously gulping. "H-hey… Po. I was just… working. On… err..." She shook her head, her tongue flicking out once, before she turned to look at the water of the Moon Pool. It was rippling wildly, making the reflection unclear. She didn't need it to be clear, though. She knew, up above, was the symbol of the Dragon Warrior. Po's symbol. Another sign of what she wanted to do.

She gulped nervously, closing her eyes. She could do this. She WOULD do this. "Po… I… called you here for a reason. An important reason."

"Yes?" he asked, moving to stand by her. He then chuckled. "Wow, the water is bouncy tonight, huh?" he asked before crouching down and reaching out a hand to tap the water. However, he lost his balance and fell in with a shriek, splashing the water everywhere. She stared in open mouthed shock while he flailed about, before slowly climbing back out, drenched from head to toe. "Heh heh. Err, right. I… meant to do that. Secret late night water training. Yup," he lied. She stared at him, a smile slowly growing on her lips. "D-don't tell Shifu..."

She was in love with him. He was such a silly, dorky panda. But she was in love with him. "Po. I just..." She couldn't believe it. Here he was, drenched from SWIMMING in one of the most sacred pools in all of China. And all she could think about was how special he was. How different. How loveable. "I… Po, I..."

"Yes?" he asked, wiping the water from his brow.

She stared at him, her heart pounding ever harder. She felt like it might explode.

The world exploded instead.

It all happened so fast she didn't have time to move. One moment, she was staring up at the panda, the next moment everything was blowing up. She shrieked, pulling back, while the walls of the building crumbled under the assault. Something, black and surrounded with fire, burst through one of the walls and connected with one of the pillars, peppering them with shards of wood.

The first burst turned the entire building into a battle zone, the walls filled with gaping holes, pillars collapsing all around them. She stared, too stunned to move.

Then the second volley hit. She realized what it was a moment later. A cannonball. Many cannonballs. How did they even get here? Who would attack them? She was shaken by her stupor when Po shook her. "Come on!" he yelled. A third volley struck the building, tearing through the hall. There was a terrifying crash from above and she had only a moment to look up before large chunks of the roof, along with the dragon statue, collapsed on them.

It felt like an eternity before she could hear and see again. She felt like she was on fire, her tail was in agony. Slowly, she tried to look around. The world was wreckage. The palace was enveloped in fire and destruction. The walls in pieces. The Hall of Heroes had suffered the most, though. Po was laying next to her, half buried under the rubble. Slowly, she looked back at her tail.

No wonder it hurt so much. She was pinned under the dragon statue. "P-Po?" she asked, moments before another volley erupted around them.

"O-ow..." Po mumbled, slowly looking up. "Did… anyone get the name of that… ow..." he said before slowly pulling himself out from under the rubble with his left hand. He let out a hiss of pain, however, and she noticed his right arm was laying limp at his side. "H-hey… huh? VIPER!" he yelled, before, for the moment, seeming to forget his own pain. "Here, I'll help you out!" he said, before pushing his body forward and shoving it against the massive statue. It refused to budge. "I-it's going to be okay."

No, it wasn't. Viper shook her head. The place was falling apart around them. There was no way that they could survive this if they didn't get escape. He had to get out of here. "P-Po! Go! Run!"

"Not a chance! I'm not leaving you!" he yelled. He pulled back, looking around for some way to help leverage the statue off her.

"Just go! Please! You can't-"

The words stopped in her throat.

It felt as if the world was moving in slow motion. She saw the cannon ball sailing through the air at her.

It was coming right for her. This was how she died. There was nothing they could do to stop this. She was going to die. It felt all so stupid, now. Being so afraid to tell him. Now it was too late.

She saw Po look up and to see the ball. Then she saw him look to her.

To her horror, he moved in front of her. She felt him wrap his arms around her, holding her close.

The world exploded once again, explosions raining down around her and pain shooting through every scale of her body. Still, moments before consciousness mercifully left her, she found herself with only one last thought.

He was so soft and warm.


	2. Lost

Chapter 2: Lost

Viper's eyes slowly opened. Everything hurt. She felt like she'd had her entire body exploded, stomped on and then lit on fire for good measure. She tried to sit up, but all that did was send more pain through her body.

She went still and stared at the ceiling, slowly taking measure of everything around her. Her body was hurt. She was bound up in bandages. It was probably best she didn't try to look down and see the damage, though she desperately wanted to.

She closed her eyes and tried to remember what happened. Things had been collapsing. Po had hugged her. He'd held her. Then everything had gone black. She remembered bouncing in and out of consciousness. Her heart started to hammer.

Po had collapsed against her. Holding her. She couldn't see his face. Then their friends were there, trying to free the two of them. He was asking them something, but she couldn't hear it while they were being dragged away. She tried to remember all she could, to focus on what had happened. To remember all the little details. He hadn't been moving, had he? Everything was fuzzy and unclear, though.

But she could remember a soft, fuzzy feelings of warmth. Remember him holding her. His fur against her scales. Everything hurting. Explosions. Fire. Her heart hammered ever harder. "H-hello?" she managed to croak out, her voice weak and soft. "Hey!" she called out louder. She had to see him. She had to know he was okay.

"Viper?! Guys, I think she's awake!" Monkey called. The door to the room opened and her friends barreled in. Tigress, Crane, Monkey, Mantis and Shifu. It was almost humorous, watching them practically stumble over themselves in a desperate attempt to sit near her. She stared up into their worried eyes. Her heart pounded so hard she could hear it echoing in her head.

She had to ask. She had to know. She stared at them, her body quivering. "Where's… Po?"

Every eye turned to Shifu. She shook, despite the pain it caused. She felt just a small fragment of hope. He had to be okay. He had to. He was just hurt. The others didn't want to tell her he got hurt, that was all. It had to be. The old master gave a soft sigh, his eyes lowering to the ground. "He… didn't… when we arrived, he wasn't..."

She felt her entire body shaking more, her eyes getting moist from tears. "Y-yes…?" She mentally screamed to the universe. Begging, pleading for it to not be what she feared. To let it be anything else.

"… His wounds were too severe. We tried to... One of the cannon balls had..." The old master shook his head. "With everything falling, he… he didn't survive, Viper. I'm sorry. He… asked us to make sure you were okay. He asked us to… I am sorry."

She stared at him. Finally, she shook her head. "No." She couldn't feel her heart anymore. It felt like it stopped. Or maybe the screams in her head drowned it out.

"… No?" he asked.

"He can't be dead. He can't." She felt tears start to fall from her eyes. "He's not… I didn't… I… I refuse… he can't be dead. H-he can't be gone."

"I'm so, so sorry, Viper…" Shifu mumbled, shaking his head.

For a long while, no words were spoken. The five warriors just looked nervously between each other and the shaking viper. Finally, Monkey broke the silence. "Why were you two in the hall?"

The snake froze. Why were they there? Because SHE had told him to meet her there. Because she had asked him to come and see her. Because she had wanted to tell him that she… that she…

It was her fault. Everything shattered around her. She'd killed him. If it wasn't for her, he'd be alive. If not for her, he'd have survived. If she hadn't gotten pinned, they could have fled. If he hadn't been protecting her, he could have dodged the ball. If not for her, he would have been safe in his room. It was all her fault. She'd murdered him. Just as much as that cannonball had.

She didn't even realize she was wailing until she felt Tigress' hands on her, holding her down. "Viper! You need to stop thrashing around! You're wounded! You're going to hurt yourself more!"

"I don't care!" Viper screamed, shaking her head. "I killed him! I KILLED PO!"

"Stand back!" Shifu ordered. Tigress pulled back and he quickly stepped in, his hands moving quickly through the air and tapping three times on her body. She went entirely still, her body refusing to move at all. He then let out a sigh, staring down at the frozen snake. "Viper, you're hurt. Very, very hurt. You need to rest. Now, one thing you need to know. You did not, in any way, kill Po. That disgrace falls on Vultra and the bandits she'd hired."

Viper stared. Vultra? That vulture? HOW? She wanted to move, but she couldn't. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't fight against Shifu's pressure points. All she could do was lay there, helpless. Staring up at him. Her master just stared back, his eyes filled with sadness. "I am sorry. But you cannot blame yourself for what happened. Vultra and her men have been captured and will face judgment for this crime. But this is not your fault, in any way," he said gently. "Now please, rest. Recover. With… time… the pain will fade." He gave another soft sigh, turning his back on her and motioning the others away.

"We… we will entomb the Dragon Warrior after… preparations are complete. The ceremony won't be for a while, but… please. Try to rest. The Dragon… Po gave his life to save yours. He wouldn't want you to waste this gift by hurting yourself." He shook his head sadly. "If… you require anything, ask. Until after the ceremony, training will be on hold. So please, rest."

Viper watched her master leave the room before her gaze returned to the roof. Slowly, she closed her eyes. He gave his life for her. The least she could do was not let it be in vain.

Even if her heart was shattered into a million pieces. Even if she wished the statue had killed her. The pain her body felt was nothing compared to the pain tearing her heart apart.

But she'd survive. For him. Always for him. Even if it hurt. Even if she had to suffer for the next hundred years. She'd survive. She'd endure. It was the least she deserved for what she had done.

She let out another soft, gentle sob. She could still feel his soft fur against her. Holding her. Was the last memory she was ever going to have of him, be him holding her before he died?

She wished she could have joined him. It would have been so much easier.

Viper stared into the training hall where the remaining Furious Five were practicing their kung fu under the strict watch of Shifu. Practice may have been called off, but that didn't mean it wasn't something they wouldn't do to calm themselves. Kung fu to relieve the pain in their hearts. Viper idly wondered if she should join them, if it would dim the agony she felt. She'd considered it multiple times since she'd begun to move about the grounds again. However, watching the others train caused her mind to start to drift away.

Soon, she didn't see the present. All she could see was the past. She saw Po, moving across the Field of Fiery Death, stumbling, tripping and eventually getting singed. She watched him wobble through the Gauntlet of Wooden Warriors, the dummies hitting him over and over as he tried, and failed, to protect himself. She watched him try and jump through the Seven-Talon Rings, only to get stuck and end up breaking them when the chains gave out. Shifu had been so mad. She felt the tears start to fall.

She saw the Seven Swinging Clubs of Instant Oblivion flying around while he tried to keep his footing, only to get smacked in the face and sent toppling into the Jade Tortoise of Widom. He'd been so amazing. No matter how good or bad he ended up doing, one way or another he seemed to always end up falling into that bowl. Once, he'd even managed to hit it so hard it had flipped over and trapped him until they'd managed to lift it off him.

She almost chuckled, staring at all of it. He had been so goofy and clumsy. A truly unique master, unlike anything else she'd ever seen. Her entire body shook, tears dripping onto the ground. Now she would never see him again. No matter how desperately she wanted to, he was gone. Gone forever. Even if he wasn't always the best at training, he always gave his all. He always enjoyed it in a way that they didn't. He was so excited to just be there with them, to train alongside them.

"Another… slither, I take it?" Shifu's voice cut through her thoughts, making her jump. She looked down at the master who was now standing in front of her.

"Y-yes. Sorry, Master Shifu. I didn't mean to-"

"You've done nothing wrong. Training can often steady a wounded heart," he said firmly. He pointed towards her tail with the large staff he often carried. "If you desire to join us, you are more than welcome."

She sighed and gave a nod. "I will… maybe later..."

Shifu stared at her, before sighing. "There is nothing wrong with just watching, however. During… times such as these, we all grieve in our own ways."

"I know..." she said gently, her eyes drawing away from him and instead focusing on the training hall. Imagining that great panda that once practiced there.

The old master sighed. "I know you are grieving, but you must not let it destroy you. The life of kung fu can… often be painful. But it is only through… determination. By facing our pain, that we grow. Like a flower pushing through stone, so too must we push against the pain of this world if we are to truly blossom."

"Sure..." she mumbled, her eyes locked on Tigress and Crane, who were fighting on top of the field, dodging each other's blows while also moving around the flames. She shook her head and then turned, slowly slithering away.

She heard Shifu sigh, before he seemed to come from above, landing in front of her. "Viper."

"I know. I'll… I'll not let it destroy me. I just… I can't right now..."

"I know. However, now is not the time to return to your room. In fact..." He glanced past her and gave a small nod. "All of us were about to go out and have a nice meal down in the village."

She blinked and turned around. The rest of the Furious Five were now standing behind her, watching her with looks of worry. She shook her head. "Okay. Have fun."

"All of us," Shifu said firmly. "Yourself included. You've barely been eating. While I understand your grief, you cannot allow yourself to waste away due to this unfortunate incident."

She sighed, shaking her head. "I'm not hungry." She knew it was a lie, but she couldn't eat. Every time she tried, food just reminded her of him. The way he'd stuff it into his mouth with wanton abandonment. Or just devour wontons. It was one of his biggest pleasures. When it came to devouring massive quantities of it, there was just no one like him.

How could she possibly eat, knowing that, thanks to her, he'd never taste another dumpling? How could Shifu 'understand' her grief when he didn't even know how she really felt for Po? She was tempted to yell it out, to tell him right then how she felt. But, once again, she felt the words lock in her throat, refusing to come out.

"You will come, either way," the master said firmly. "Now. Come along. Mr. Ping will be happy to have us visit."

Viper froze. Mr. Ping? Po's FATHER? She readied herself to flee, but before she could, she felt herself lifted off the ground. She looked up at Tigress, who now held her in her paws. She glared at the betrayal, trying to squirm away, but unable to escape the firm grip. Tigress just stared back with an apologetic look, but didn't say a word while she carried the snake down, towards the village.

Viper wanted to die even more than she had before. She could see the entrance to Mr. Ping's shop, just down the street. Outside the entrance stood a portrait of Po. Under the portrait rested all manners of gifts and tributes. As well as a sign displaying a 'Dragon Warrior Remembrance' special. She felt another soft tug at her heart.

She couldn't do this. How could she possibly face Mr. Ping after she killed his son? He was going to hate them. Hate her. She tried to escape Tigress' grip again, but the larger warrior refused to yield, holding her tightly. Even Viper tickling with the tip of her tail didn't have any effect on her captor.

"Ohhhh! The Furious Five!" Mr. Ping's voice called out, making her freeze her attempts. She couldn't believe it. He was going to kick them out. She gave a soft whimper. "AND Master Shifu! Such an honor! Come, come, I have a special table for you all!"

Slowly, she looked up and saw the seating area. There were a few tables, but only one of them had customers finishing up a meal. However, he quickly motioned them to the largest table near the kitchen. Somehow, the dining area looked the same as it always did. She didn't know if that made it better or worse. She could almost see Po running off to the back to help his dad, or bursting out, covered in noodles. Everything just seemed so normal.

Except on the counter. There were Po's toys, proudly on display. One of Po, one of each of the Furious Five. One of Shifu. They brought more tears to her eyes. She was gently, but firmly, placed on a chair, the others taking their places at the table. She wanted to flee, but she couldn't move. All she could do was focus on the toys.

"For you six? You can even get the special deal. Five percent off!" he called back to them. "I'll get right on the specials!"

"Ahhhh. This is… nice," Shifu said. "Isn't this… nice?" he asked.

The other four glanced back to him, then Viper.

"Isn't it?" he asked, glaring.

"Oh, yes, very nice, very nice," Mantis said while the others quickly nodded in agreement.

Viper just sighed, eyeing the figures. "It's… nice," she lied. The little tiny toys a reminder of the great Dragon Warrior, surrounded by his friends. She was at his side.

She didn't know how long she stared, but her thoughts were eventually broken by Mr. Ping dropping six delicious smelling bowls in front of them. "I can't say how happy I am to see all of you! You should all come by more often," he said firmly. "You get far better food here than you could ever get up there in the Jade Palace. I saw how skinny Po was getting living up there."

"Thank you for the offer, Mr. Ping," Shifu said firmly, before grabbing his chopsticks and beginning to dig in. "But we have a very strict diet we must abide to as best we can," he said, before his eyes wandered back to Viper.

"Bah. You're all just skin and bones. A strict diet is not what a growing panda needs," the goose said with a shake of his head. "Why, every time he came home, I made him up a fresh batch of my special 'welcome home' soup and he could eat the whole pot alllll by himself!" he said proudly.

Monkey gave a soft, nervous chuckle. "Yeah, he told us about that. He used to say it was the second best thing about coming home."

"Second best?" Mr. Ping asked.

"The first was seeing his father, of course," Shifu offered.

The goose laughed. "Really? Here I always thought he only came down here to tell me all the different stories about all of you. Why, I feel like it was just last week that he came barreling in through the front door, ranting and raving like an insane man about how he was meeting some master or another. Or another priceless treasure was being moved into the palace. Speaking of, how is the palace?"

Shifu gave another soft sigh. "It is being repaired, slowly. The damage dealt was extensive, but the palace has suffered worse, at one time or another. There… where the Dragon Warrior statue was, we are placing a tribute to Po. Right before the Moon Pool. When we have finished it, we would be honored if you would come and view it and… grant your approval."

"He would have liked that..." the goose mumbled, his voice trailing off. He glanced to Viper, who's eyes and focus were still on the toys. He chuckled.

"… He talked about us often, then?" Tigress asked, trying to shift away from the topic.

"Hmmm? Oh yes, alllll the time. Why, it all started a few years back, before he even became the Dragon Warrior. In fact, I believe it was right when all of you came together. One day, he's my little Po, trying to figure out what he wants to do. The next? He's talking about kung fu non-stop. Making toys, reading books. Imagine, my Po, reading books," he said with a laugh, though Viper could hear the faint traces of sobs in the back of the laughter. "I tried to direct him to more profitable expenditures of his time. Like cooking!" he said proudly, before giving a soft sigh and glancing back towards the shop. "But no. Every week or so I'd find him, either playing with his dolls or practicing some new 'style' of all of you. Even when he lived up there, he never… he'd never stop talking about all of you. No matter what..."

"He practiced our styles?" Monkey asked.

"I see he didn't practice them well," Shifu said with a sigh. "I remember when he first arrived. I don't believe he'd ever had any training, even our beginner courses."

Mr. Ping laughed and shook his head. "No no. Not a single one. But that didn't matter to him. He tried all of your styles. Why, I'd come home and he'd have the dolls in special positions and be trying to mimic them. I'll never forget the day he tried to practice, how did he put it? Oh, no matter. He was imitating you, Viper," the goose said with a laugh.

That shook the snake from her thoughts, glancing back to him. "W-what? He was?"

"Oh, yes. He imitated all of you. Ad-" The goose choked on the words, taking a moment to catch himself. "Admired all of you. He never had anything bad to say about any of you. He eventually gave up on it, though. How did he put it? 'Only a snake can be a snake' or something," he said before shaking his head. "Frankly, I think it was silly. If he was going to imitate anyone, obviously he should have imitated crane. They were the most alike," the goose said before walking away, heading back into the kitchen to serve a line of customers that had formed in his absence.

Crane blinked and glanced down at his stomach. "Err… Po didn't… really take after me, did he?"

Shifu shook his head. "No. Not at all. He was much hairier."

The crane chuckled a few times before gulping. "But no, really. He didn't, did he?"

"He didn't take after any of us," Viper mumbled, her eyes slowly drifting from the toys and looking down at her food. "He was… unique. Special. There was nobody else in the world like him..." she said gently. Slowly, she leaned down and slurped some of the noodles, before sighing. "There won't ever be anybody else like him again..."

Shifu nodded. "Yes. He was quite unique. But, what he's done… He was… He will always be remembered." He stared down at his now empty bowl. All except Viper had finished their meals and he gave another sigh. Perhaps this had been a poor decision after all. "We should return. There is still more training to be done."

The others got to their feet, but Viper shook her head. "No."

"… No?" Shifu asked.

"No. I… want to stay here for a little bit. Please," she asked softly. "I'll return to the palace before midnight. I just… want to stay here a little longer. Please."

Shifu stared at her for a long moment, before nodding. "Very well. Please return when you can," he said, before turning and walking away, the other members of the five following behind.

Slowly, she found her eyes lowering again, lost in her thoughts. Po had truly been so unique. So incredible. Now he was gone forever. There would never, could never, be another like him.

She felt her heart pounding harder.

"How did it happen?" a voice asked, making her glance up.

Mr. Ping was sitting across from her, a bowl of soup in front of himself. She then noticed everyone else was gone. She glanced back and saw a closed sign on the entrance way. "I'm… sorry?" she asked gently.

"How did Po die?" Mr. Ping asked, his voice low. "I asked Shifu, but… he wouldn't tell me. He said he died protecting the palace. I just… I need to know..." he whispered, the grief obvious in his voice. "I just… need to know."

She lowered her eyes, tears welling up inside. Finally, she spoke. "H-he died… he died protecting me..." she whispered. "He died protecting me," she said, a little firmer. "I was trapped. There was a… a cannonball coming at me. He… he held me and protected me and..." The tears started to fall while her entire body shook. "If not for me, he would have escaped. He would have gotten away. If he'd just… just left me behind. If he'd-"

Mr. Ping laughed, shaking his head. "That's my boy!"

She paused. "W-what?" she asked.

"I knew my boy wouldn't just die like that. Protecting a building. But protecting somebody he loved? That's the Po I raised," he said softly, tears staring to fall down his face, dripping into his soup.

Her heart did a little jump. "L-loved? He didn't… love me. I was-"

"Of course he loved you. Why, he was always talking about you whenever he was here. He'd barely even listen to my stories at all! He was so enamored with you."

She stared at him, her heart only pounding harder. "Enamored with me?"

"Yes. All of you. Kung fu and all that. He talked about all of you relentlessly."

She felt another tear in her heart. Of course. Not her, specifically. He loved all of them. What they did. Not who she was. She stared back at the noodles in front of her. "He was… incredible."

"He really did admire you."

"… I admired him, too..." she whispered. "He was… so…"

"Unique? Different? Creating a style all his own, despite the difficulty?"

She nodded. "Yeah."

"He said the same thing about you, a lot."

Viper snickered. "I imagine so, we were all-"

"No, just you."

She paused, glancing up. "He… mentioned me? Specifically?"

"Oh yes, all the time. He always told me he felt closest to you of all the others up there."

Viper couldn't stop shaking, feeling fresh tears forming in her eyes, threatening to burst. She wondered how many more she could possibly have inside herself. "W-what..." she croaked out, her voice cracking. "W-what did he say? Please. T-tell me..."

"Oh, just how you were different. No arms, no legs? He always admired that about you. All of the styles and techniques used them. There was no basis, yet you still managed to become one of the great Furious Five. Even Crane had wings. But you had nothing to go on but a... dance, I believe? He always talked about how you were the most amazing ribbon dancer in the world. That and… well..."

"Y-yes?"

"He said you were always the nicest to him. Of all of them, you always seemed the most willing to give him a chance. To believe in him. Even at the beginning."

She sighed and shook her head. "I… tried. I mean, I was mostly just worried about him. I thought he was going to get himself killed. I… didn't really believe in him. I just didn't want him to get hurt. I wasn't..."

The goose chuckled and nodded. "Yeah. He… never… I never thought he'd become the Dragon Warrior. And even getting a promotion to teacher! He… he made me… made me so proud..." he whispered.

She nodded, staring at her soup. "I… admired him… too. I… when I first started training? I didn't… know if I'd… I never thought about becoming a master. Ever. I didn't have… my father's fangs. So when I was a child, I was just a ribbon dancer. I was too scared to even do that for anyone but my father. Becoming a master, though? Even… when I was one of the Furious Five, I never really thought someone like… like me could become a true..." she whispered, slowly slurping up a few more noodles. "But when he came… when he… when he was here? I could… He was so different, too. He was different from everything we'd ever learned. Ever practiced. Inner peace, chi. Defeating Tai Lung? To be… honest. Everything he did should have been impossible for him. He wasn't some great, amazing… fighter. He was just a… a..." She felt the tears break through again, sliding down her cheeks.

"He was just… Po..." Mr. Ping whispered.

"He was just Po. He was different from everything we'd ever learned. And if he could do it, why couldn't I? So I just thought… I just tried and… and before I knew it, I fell in love with him and he became so important and I miss him. I miss him so much and I wish I'd been the one to die, not him!" She couldn't take it, she collapsed and just let her head rest on the table, the sobs wracking her body. "It's all my fault. If it wasn't for me, he wouldn't have been there. I was going to tell him how I felt. He would have been in his room. We would have been in our own rooms. I-if I just… if I just hadn't been a coward. If I just hadn't been too scared to tell him! If I just… if I just..." Her entire body was wracked with sobs, trembling helplessly. However, after a few moments she felt warmth against her. She looked up and saw Mr. Ping hugging her.

"It's… okay..." he whispered. "It's going to be okay."

"It's not okay… it's never going to be okay again..." she whispered, looking away. "You should hate me. You should despise me. I cost you Po. I cost the world Po. I-"

"Never," he whispered back. "Po was… himself. Po was his own person. He was a great Master. And I was proud to be his father. He… protected someone special to him. Someone who meant the world to him. I can never hate the person who he felt it was worth giving his life for."

"You should… he shouldn't have died for me..."

"But he did. And that is that," Mr. Ping said firmly. He pulled back, shaking his head. "But that's… enough of that. Po was… Po was special. We shouldn't focus on all the terrible things. Did I ever tell you about the first time I left the shop in Po's care?"

She shook her head, giving a small smile. "N-no. But… but I'd like to hear it."

"So, I return home after..."

It was long, long after dusk when she finally rose from her seat. Her bowl was empty, now. But her heart hurt less. Just a little. Po was gone. Nothing would ever, could ever, replace him.

But she had spent hours talking about him. Remembering him. All the good, all the bad. She'd told Mr. Ping about how she'd fallen for him, gradually. While she couldn't tell Po himself, she felt as if it was the next best thing. As close as she could get. However, when she got up, the goose shook his head.

"One last thing..." he mumbled, before turning and walking to the counter. He picked up the Po and Viper figures, before coming back. "I want you to take these..." he said before placing them on the table.

She stared, her mouth falling open. "I… I can't..." she whispered.

"No. I think he'd want you to have them. Besides, it's probably best. I already accidentally sold his figures once, I don't want to do it again. It took him forever to replace them."

"… What?" she asked.

"Long story. But please, take them. I can't imagine anyone who would take better care of them."

She nodded and, gratefully, reached out with with tail, curling it around the pair of toys. It was awkward, but by wrapping the Viper figure around the Po figure, she managed to get a grip on them.

Wrapped around him like she had been, not so long ago. Traveling on him, hidden with him. "Will… you be at the memorial?"

"Yes. Po's… family… all of the pandas are coming. They'll… be here. To say goodbye as well..." he whispered gently. "So… u-until then. Goodbye."

She choked out a weak goodbye of her own before she turned and slowly began to make the trek back towards the palace. Upon arriving, she gave little more than a shrug to the others, not meeting Shifu's gaze.

It was only when she was in her bed once again that she stopped and stared at the two toys.

They were smiling. Of course they were. They were toys, they couldn't change. Slowly, however, she pulled the toy Viper off of the toy Po. She stared at it for a moment, before letting it drop onto the floor. "You don't deserve him..." she said, before staring at the panda.

"I should have died. Not you, Po. I wish… I wish I had died… I miss you… I miss you so… so much..." she whispered, her tail curling tightly around the toy while she sobbed. "I want you back. I need you… b-back..."


	3. Remembrance

Chapter 3: Remembrance

Viper slowly descended underground, gently slithering along the stairway and towards the cells below. It was time. Today was the funeral, after which Vultra would no longer reside within their prison.

It was her final chance to talk with the vile, filthy creature. To confront her. She felt her heart beating faster, ever faster, with every inch closer she came. She finally made it to the bottom of the steps and raised her eyes.

There Vultra lay, resting on the small cot in the cell. The woman glanced up and gave a small, light chuckle. "Ah. Is it time to move me already?"

"No," Viper said, her voice cold. "I'm here about Po. You know what today is, don't you?"

The vulture gave a light snicker. "Oh, indeed. How could I not? The great Dragon Warrior finally laid to rest, no?" she asked, before giving a harsh laugh. "To be honest, I'm curious. Did you manage to find a tomb big enough to hold the fat, stupid panda? Or are you hoping that leaving him to decay for long enough will make him fit?"

"Don't you dare talk about him like that!" Viper snapped, dashing forward and stopping in front of the bars, her eyes narrowing on the woman. "Why? Why did you attack us? Why did you attack him? He's never done anything to-"

"He killed my master, Shen. He-"

"Shen killed himself! Shen was a fool, he was-"

"He was the greatest leader China would have ever had. He was brilliant. A true, glorious master!" Vultra yelled, getting to her talons to stare down at the snake. "But his time is over. Long, long over. I have made peace with that. And now? His death is avenged."

"You will rot in prison forever. No one will ever come to save you. You will never escape. You will-"

"I do not care," Vultra said with a light chuckle. "A lifetime of prison? A small price to pay," the vulture gave a dismissive wave of her wing. "I have slain the Dragon Warrior. I have achieved the goal of my master. If I were to die now, what would it matter?"

"Po was a-"

"Tell me, snake-"

"Viper!"

"Whatever. Tell me, were you there for his final moments?"

The words cut through Viper like a knife, making her freeze.

"Were you there? Did they hurt? Did he scream? Did he know who killed him? Please, tell me he did. Please tell me, that in his last moments, he felt that crushing despair. That loss of hope. That suffering and pain he deserved."

"Stop it..." Viper said, feeling the tears well up in her eyes. "S-stop it..."

"Did he see my attack coming? Did he see death approaching? Did he try to run? Did he flee like a coward?"

"Stop it!"

"Or did he stand there, too stupid to move? Did the big, fat, lazy, ugly-"

"I SAID STOP IT!" Viper screamed before lunging forward, throwing herself at the vulture. She lashed out, her tail wrapping around Vultra's throat and knocking her to the ground.

Vultra gasped for air, her wing reaching up to try to pull at the coils around her neck. "H-heh… heh… t-touchy… s-snake? Did he… then? Did he… did he suffer… like he… like he d-deserved?"

Viper saw nothing but red, pushing herself forward to pull against the bars of the cage, pulling the vulture against them. Using the extra leverage she squeezed Vultra's neck as tight as she could, the sound of the woman choking music in her ears. "I… see he… he did. Tell me… d-did you… did you c-care… for him like… I did… Shen? Does it… claw at you? Tear… tear into you? To know you'll never… never s-see… him… again?" she asked, struggling to get a wing under those coiling scales.

"Po… was the greatest panda, no, kung fu master there ever was. He was the Dragon Warrior and he lived up to the name and legend every day," she whispered, staring into the vulture's eyes. Her heart glowed at the sight of the laughter fading away from Vultra's eyes, soon replaced by fear. "You are not worthy to speak his name. You do not deserve to live while he… while he's gone. None of this is fair. I can't… I can't bring him back. But I will make sure you never get to enjoy another breath of air after what you took from me..." she whispered.

"Viper!" a voice called out, though she ignored it. Her vengeance was almost complete. She could see Vultra's face turning different shades while she struggled, feebly, to escape the grasp of the snake. "Monkey! Mantis! Crane! Help!"

Suddenly something grabbed her and Vultra. She heard the gate of the cell yank open and then monkey was in the cage with them. Mantis landed on her, trying to get between the tail and neck to force her grip off. Tigress and Crane grabbed her from behind, struggling to pull her away. "Stop it!" Viper screamed, trying to tighten her grip while her friends unwound her. "STOP! She deserves this! LET ME GO!"

"Viper, not like this!" Tigress yelled.

"She killed Po, SHE KILLED PO!" Viper yelled, struggling to maintain her grip even as they slowly tried to unwind her.

"I know. I know!" Tigress said firmly. "But not like this. She doesn't deserve to live. But Po wouldn't want this. Po wouldn't want us seeking vengeance in his name!"

Those words froze Viper to the core, giving them the opportunity they needed to pull her grip off the vulture. Vultra gasped for air and fell to the ground.

Tigress and Crane gripped Viper tightly and yanked her away from the bars, shaking her out of her stupor. "H-huh? NO! Let me go! Let me GO!" she screamed, thrashing about.

"NO!" Tigress yelled, the four slowly dragging her away from the, once again, laughing vulture.

It was only when they took her fully from the room and closed the door to the dungeon that the laughter seemed to fade, though it still echoed through Viper's head. "She killed him..." Viper whispered. "She deserves to die!"

"Yes. But it's not our decision," Tigress said. "I know how you feel. We all do. Po was our friend and he-"

"HE WASN'T JUST MY FRIEND!" Viper screamed. "I-I loved him! I wanted to… I… I wanted to… I loved him and I wanted..." All of that anger and hatred evaporated, replaced only with the pain of loss. "I loved him… I loved him s-so much and… and now he's gone. Now I'll never see him again. Now I'll… never hear his voice again. Thanks to her..."

The masters shared confused looks for a moment, unsure of how to react. Finally, Crane spoke up. "Loved… him? I-I mean, we all loved him in our own way. Like… a brother?" he offered.

She gave another soft sob, shaking her head. "I-I wanted to tell him. I never got the chance. I… I was going to tell him but I… but I..." Her entire body shook and the tears fell like rain.

The four shared looks, trying to figure out how to respond to that. Finally, mantis spoke up. "Uhhh… there there. Err. Viper. He's in a better-"

"How is he in a better place?! He should be here! If it wasn't for me, he'd still be here! If I hadn't told him to meet me there, if I hadn't..." She closed her eyes and shook her head. "If I hadn't… if I had just… why couldn't you let me do this? She DESERVES to die. After what she took from me. She… she..." She curled up into a tight circle, shaking her head. "I loved him. He was silly and clumsy and awkward and his heart was so big and he just… I loved him. I looked forward to seeing him every day. My heart jumped whenever he was around and… and now I'll never see his wonderful, pudgy face again. I'll never be able to listen to one of his silly stories. Taste his incredible soup. Listen to his excitement whenever he hears anything about kung fu. It's all gone forever. And… I don't know what to do..."

"The only thing we can do now, Viper," a voice said, drawing the eyes of the five towards the main entrance way. Shifu stood in the frame, his staff held firmly at his side. "We carry on as we have. We continue, we grow. We accept the loss. We accept the pain." He walked towards her, only stopping once they were face to face. He motioned for the others to leave. "Prepare for the ceremony, it will begin soon."

"Yes, Master Shifu," the four said before bowing their heads and turning to leave.

Shifu waited patiently for the two of them to be alone, before locking eyes with Viper. "I… heard what you said. All of it."

Viper shook her head. "Let me guess, some-" Her words stopped when she felt a hand placed on her neck.

"This is not going to be easy. As much as we all hurt, as important as he was to all of us… I cannot imagine how you must feel. I wish I could offer words of comfort to take away the pain. Or had some means by which to give you peace. But life is not like that. Were pain so easy to let go of, achieving inner peace would not be something so few could do."

"Then what-"

"What I can tell you is, that while the pain is fresh now, it, like all wounds, will lessen with time. It may never entirely fade. But every day, it will hurt a little less."

"… What then?" she asked softly. "I just… forget about him?"

"No. You remember him. Not for this tragedy. Not for the pain you feel now. You remember him for the joy he brought you. You remember him for the lives he saved. You remember him for who he was, the panda he was. You remember all of the good and you no longer let the pain blind you to what was. He… is gone and he will never return. But for all of the pain you feel now, one day you will be able to remember all of the good."

"… I don't want to remember the good..." she whispered. "I want him back."

"If I could bring him back, I would. But I cannot, though I would give anything to be able to. But Viper, remember who he was. What he was. Would he want you to destroy yourself for him?"

Slowly, she shook her head. "Never..."

"Then for his sake and your own. Continue on. Recover. Accept this loss, though painful it may be. But do not let it take from you the person you are. Po… would not have wanted that. And Vultra is not worth it."

She nodded slowly. "Thank you, Master Shifu."

"Of course. If you do not wish to attend the funeral, I understand."

"No..." she whispered gently. "I… want to say goodbye. One last time." She turned to slither down the hall, away from her master. "I'll go and get ready. Thank you, master."

Try as she might, though, it didn't help. Even if the pain would fade, eventually, right now it felt as if she was being torn apart. She couldn't imagine living another moment without him.

Viper slowly slithered out from the temple and into the main courtyard, moving besides the rest of the Furious Five. A dark veil covered her face, dimming the world around her. However, when she looked up she could only stare in wonder.

The main courtyard had a small stage set up on the left side, with rows of seats for all those who had known the dragon warrior. People were arriving and forming groups to discuss the affair, with six seats marked off for the Furious Five and Shifu.

However, what drew her attention were the masters who were talking in the courtyard. Master Bear, Master Chicken, Master Croc and so many other masters from all over China. Masters who Po had idolized. Who he had admired and looked up to. She felt moisture filling her eyes when she realized just how happy Po would have been if he could be here, alive and well. He would have been screaming and gawking and hopping around, like a child meeting his heroes.

Because they were his heroes. Each and every one of them were someone he looked up to and saw as worthy of his respect. His adoration. No matter how incredible he was, that never stopped. Her tail reached up and wiped another tear from her eyes.

Shifu glanced up at the five before giving a nod towards one of the servants in front of a gong, who responded by crashing their mallet across it, silencing the attendees. The aged master walked towards the stage, leaping onto it before turning to face the crowd. "Please. Everyone take a seat and we can begin."

Viper slowly slithered towards her seat, though she paused for a moment. In the very back, behind all the seats, a massive coffin was resting. Po was likely inside, his final resting place. She shuddered and lowered her head, joining the others in taking her seat.

Shifu coughed and cleared his face. "All of you… all of us have been touched by Po, the Dragon Warrior, in one way or another. When… when I first met him, I was unimpressed. Master Oogway, however, believed that he was the future of kung fu. I… did not believe it at the time. I believed he was fat, lazy and stupid." He took a slow, deep breath. "I was a fool. I looked only at what I saw in the moment and ignored the possibility, the potential that I had rising before me. I tried to get rid of him. To drive him off. For all the respect I had for my own master, in this I refused to respect him at all."

He shook his head again. "I was wrong. As wrong as I've ever been about anything. Po was unique, special. Eventually I realized how special. I discovered what it was he truly needed to thrive, to excel. In many ways, he could achieve feats even I believed impossible. He defeated warriors even I could not. At times, I believe, he taught me… he taught us all far more than I realized."

The aged master closed his eyes, a single tear falling down his cheek. "He… admired us. All of us. He had a passion for kung fu that I had never encountered in all my years of teaching. An admiration for the masters that any master would delight in seeing in their student. He… he was a warrior unlike any other."

He shook his head once again. "This is… a day I wished I would never have to see. A master should not outlive their student. I would ask those who have come to… see him off this final time, to please share a few words for… the fallen Dragon Warrior," he said softly.

Viper's body shook when people went up to the stage, telling their own stories of the warrior. Some were of his ferocity, of all the lives he had saved. The bandits he had defeated. His amazing kung fu. Memories of fighting side by side with such a great warrior.

But those were just a part of who Po was, not the full story. Stories of his kindness, his compassion, his silliness were soon shared as well. How he'd clumsily break things, disbelief that he could be the great Dragon Warrior. Yet how he always managed to prove himself in the end. How hard he'd work. How hard he'd fight.

Each word cut pierced her heart like a spear, cutting through it and making the pain ever worse. The tears flowed down her face and, finally, she couldn't take it anymore.

She wanted to yell and scream. To shout how much she loved him. She wanted to throw the chair she rested on, to throw something, anything. To get all of these feelings and hurt out in the most violent way possible.

Instead she slid out of her chair and fled, racing away, ignoring Shifu's cries for her to come back. She couldn't, wouldn't listen to any more stories about what they'd lost.

Po was gone. They'd never have another like him. She raced to her room and slammed the door shut before throwing herself onto her bed, burying her head in the pillow.

She wanted him back so, so much. She turned her head towards the small desk by her bed, staring at the small Po figurine standing on it.

Viper blinked in confusion when she saw her own figurine besides it. Slowly, her tail reached out and wrapped around the toy. She brought the toy to her face, barely remembering picking it up. "He… he's gone. All of those stories don't matter anymore. He's gone. He… all he did and in the end, he's gone..." she whispered.

She let out a yell of frustration before finally slamming the toy against the ground, smashing the snake into multiple pieces and sending them hurtling across the floor. "He's gone! And it's all your fault. All of it. If you hadn't been there. If you had just told him. If you hadn't been such a coward. If you hadn't..." She stared at the broken toy and shook her head, looking away before collapsing on her bed.

Her mind flashed back to Po. She remembered the way he talked about them. She remembered the way he gushed about the origins of the Furious Five. Her story had apparently been about learning 'courage'. How she wished that had been true. If she had, he'd still be here by her side.

Instead, he was now gone forever, because she had been too much of a coward to just tell him. Because she had dragged him there. She glanced down at the shattered toy and wished it had been her that had been destroyed.

"Po..." she whispered before once more picking up his toy and curling herself around it. "I miss you..."

"Viper..." Shifu called, giving the door to her room a heavy knock. "You should come and join us for dinner. We're-"

"No thank you," she muttered, not looking up from her position, resting on the bed.

The older master sighed. "… Very well. A plate is here for you when you're hungry..."

She didn't respond to him, merely giving a shrug and waiting for the sounds of his footsteps to fade.

It had been nearly a week since the funeral and she had barely moved since. On the stand besides her bed, Po's figure stood in a casual pose. The pieces of her own were stacked up besides his. She'd repair it eventually, but she couldn't now. She could barely look at it. Even if it had been one of his prized toys, the figure of her disgusted her.

Her friends had been trying to comfort her, inviting her for training, games, Monkey had even tried to put on a terrible comedy act for her. But it didn't help. She didn't have the energy to go with them or do anything.

She hadn't slept well since that night, since she'd been forced to listen to them tell all those great stories. Vultra haunted her thoughts. Whenever she slept, nightmares of that ill-fated night flowed through her head. Him standing over her, protecting her.

Dying for her.

She'd see him in his coffin, his eyes closed, unmoving. Vultra's laughter ringing through her ears. She'd listen to them talk of how wonderful and great he was.

It was only when she was fully exhausted, when her eyes couldn't stay open anymore, that she was granted dreamless sleep. When, finally, she'd be able to sink into the lack of existence. Her exhausted form slowly crawled to her door and opened it just a crack, her tail reaching out to grip the small plate of potstickers and rice. She stared at it for a few moments, before laying it on the desk besides all of the other plates of barely touched food. If she let Shifu know she wasn't eating he'd probably end up trying to force her to eat, she just couldn't deal with that right now.

She slithered back to her bed and curled up into a small circle beneath the blankets. Her eyes unable to stay open anymore, she let herself rest, hoping that, once again, she'd have pushed herself enough that her mind would remain empty.

Darkness eventually took her and drowned out the world around her.

She was in the temple again. She was trapped beneath the statue. Her heart beating faster, explosions pounding from all sides.

No no no no no.

There was Po, standing over her. His hand reaching out to her.

"I think that's enough of this," he said with a light, jolly laughter. "Hiyaaaaa WOO PAH!" he said before kicking the statue on top of her, sending it flying off. It crashed into the wall, shattering it like glass and causing everything around them to crumble to pieces.

Revealing a strange, flowing field of flowers and, off in the distance, a beautiful peach tree. There were no more explosions, no more cannons. There was only her and Po.

She stared up at him, her eyes wide and confused. There was no pain, nothing more to stop her this time. Nothing like the terrible nightmare she'd been expecting. Just him and her.

Viper lunged forward and wrapped herself around him, tightly holding on. "P-Po. Oh Po. I'm so sorry. I killed you. I-I'm so sorry, I just… I..."

Po chuckled and lightly patted her on the head. "It's okay. You never killed me. I was just fulfilling my destiny, that's all. Kind of like I am, now."

"W-what?" she asked, giving a soft whimper. "You… you need to come with me. You need to come back, please. You have to..."

"I can't," he said with a soft, sad smile. "Viper… this is a dream," he whispered before kneeling down, letting her slither off him and look her in the eyes. "I can't come back to you, no matter how hard you want me to."

"But Po… I… I need you."

"No you don't. Or maybe you do. Tonight, at least," he said before turning and beginning to walk towards the tree. "I wish I could give you more time, but this wasn't easy to do, you know. I had to get Master Oogway to help and, let me tell you, he does NOT like to give a straight answer."

Viper slowly followed after him, unwilling to let him out of her sight. "Is this… real?" she asked softly, hope blossoming in her heart, though doubt following close behind.

"It is. You need closure and… well. If I can't come back to help one of my best friends when they need me most, what kind of Dragon Warrior would I be?"

She chuckled, shaking her head. It was a pleasant dream, at least for once.

"Though, I've got to tell you. This is totally awesome," Po said with a grin. "Watch this." He held up his fingers to his lips and drew them out, a long, thin mustache like Shifu's forming over his lip. "'Now, you listen here you fat panda! You will do five hundred jumping jacks and then catch a river with chopsticks! Then, and only then, will you be the Dragon Warrior! After that, we will discuss random, weird sayings that are just vague enough to be almost no help at all!'" he said with a laugh.

Viper couldn't help herself, she broke into a fit of giggles at the sight of another of his silly jokes. She remembered the first time he'd done that, though he'd had a noodle at the time instead of an actual mustache. "He said… a lot of great things about you. At your funeral. He was proud of you."

"Oh, I know! It was awesome. Seeing all those masters talking about me? Did you see them all sign my cask?"

She blinked a few times and stared. "W-wait, what?"

"It was Master Shifu's idea, having all the masters signing it. Was totally awesome. Best funeral ever! I couldn't help shrieking when they all kneeled while I passed. Totally awesome. You know, being a kung fu master spirit is pretty cool. I get to watch people, I can do all kinds of random things, I have a weekly card night with Master Porcupine and even this whole dream walking thing."

She stared at him before giving a soft, gentle chuckle. It was just her mind trying to make her feel better, she knew. Even if she wanted it to be real, it couldn't be. But it still made her feel warm and happy.

Po stopped in front of the tree before dropping down and glancing to her. "So, Viper. I'm here, you're here. Nothing bad is going to happen. What do you want to do?"

"Do?"

"It's your dream. What do you want to do? Anything in the world. We can train, watch Shifu do a silly dance, eat some soup, anything you want."

Viper stared up at him before nodding. "I just… want to talk," she said before moving over to him. He held out his arm and she slithered up it, curling herself around him.

Even if it was a dream, she swore she could feel his warmth against her, the way his fur rubbed her body. She let out another soft, gentle sigh of relief. "You feel good..." she whispered.

"Heh, not bad for a spirit, right? So what did you want to-"

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'm sorry I got you killed. Did..." Her heart pounded a little faster. "Did it hurt?"

Po gave a soft sigh. "Viper, that's not important. I'm dead now, what's in the past is in the past."

"Did… it hurt?"

After a moment the panda nodded, his chin rubbing against her body. "Yes. But not as much as not knowing if you were going to be okay. You know, you never got the chance. Why did you call me out there, anyway?"

Viper froze, slowly bringing her eyes up to him. Her heart pounded so heavily she was sure he could hear it.

But this was her chance. Even if it was just a dream. Even if it wasn't real. She had one last, final chance to tell him. "I..." she whispered, trying to force the words out. Why was it so hard? Why couldn't she just say those words? Did she have to lose him again?

She gave a shudder and shook her head. "I love you, Po," she whispered. "I love you. I don't know for how long, I don't know when it started. You were such a… a silly panda. Clumsy and awkward and then amazing and breathtaking and then… then..." She closed her eyes. "Then one day before I knew it, I couldn't imagine my life without you. I looked forward to seeing you every morning. I'd volunteer to do missions with you. Sometimes I'd lie awake at night, staring at the door and wanting to come see you and… lay next to you. Just be near you."

He didn't move.

"Po? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you. I just… I..."

"I'm not upset," he whispered. "I'm happy. I love you too, Viper."

Her heart did a terrified little leap. "Y-you… you do?"

"I do. I have for ages. You were always so special and just… different. You gave me so much strength and believed in me and supported me despite everything that happened. Even when I messed up. I always felt like… I never thought you'd feel like that about, well… someone like me."

"Someone like you?"

"You know. A fat, clumsy panda."

She chuckled softly and shook her head. "If you could fall for a skinny, limb-less snake..." she whispered. Now she knew it had to be a dream.

But it was a happy dream. She felt as if, finally, a weight she had carried for so long was lifted off her. She tightened just a little bit.

"Was there anything else you wanted to do?" he asked softly.

"No," she whispered. "I just want to talk. I want to be near you."

For what felt like hours, she spilled out everything. How much she missed him, how much everyone else missed him. How she felt. Her confrontation with Vultra. Everything that had happened, that had changed. Before she knew it, however, she found the subject changing from what had happened since, to what had happened before.

To their adventures, to their fights. To all of the times they worked together. Eventually, to who she had been before she'd known him. To her life as one of the Furious Five, a protector of the valley.

By the end, new tears had come down her face and she found herself resting in his lap, his hand gently rubbing her head. "I miss you. I don't… know if I can go back."

"You have to go back," he whispered back. "Not just home. But to who you were. You're Viper, one of the greatest kung fu masters in the world. The valley needs you to keep it safe."

"I can't. I just..." she whispered. "How can I keep going? I never got to tell you how I feel..."

"You have. I promise, you have..."

"This isn't real. It can't be real."

"It's as real as you want it to be," he said before, very gently, putting a finger to the tip of her nose. "As real as you need it to be."

She stared at him and, slowly, her eyes lowered. "I think… there's one more thing I'd like to do before I go." A moment later, two toys appeared besides her. One of her, one of him.

"Awesome! My old toys!" he said with a laugh. "Dad gave them to you, right?"

"Yes, he wanted me to keep them safe. I… can we play with them? Just for a little bit?"

He laughed and gave a nod. "Of course." To her surprise, he picked up the Viper toy. Smiling, she picked up Po's.

"'I am the great Dragon Warrior and I'm here to eat dumplings and kick butt. And I ran out of dumplings on the way here'," she said, giving a light giggle while she put the toy into a kicking pose.

"'Well, I am the great Viper, I'll be totally awesome and make you punch yourself with my totally amazing dances! Woo pah!'," Po said, while making her figure pose dramatically.

Before long, the ground at the base of the tree was surrounded by other toys of different warriors, the Po and Viper figurine standing victorious. She couldn't stop giggling, no matter how she tried, reveling in the panda's silly antics.

However, Po finally gave a sad sigh and shook his head. "Viper..."

"What?" she asked, staring up at him.

"I don't know when we'll see each other again. But… I want to show you one last thing." He picked up both the Viper and Po figures and moved his own into his 'awesome' pose, as he'd always called it. A ready stance to prepare for a fight. "You know the coolest thing about these figures? The poses. Here. Let me show you one of my favorites..." he said gently before he wrapped the Viper figurine around his own. Just like she had wrapped around him so many times in the past to hide or when he carried her.

"Po… I..."

"I know," he whispered, before giving her one last hug. "I know. I love you."

"I love you too. I miss you..."

"I'll be here, waiting for you. I promise." He gently kissed her forehead, before pausing. He leaned in and, gently, pressed his lips to hers. Her heart raced with excitement and she stared up at him before, slowly, her eyes closed and she pushed into the kiss, letting his warmth and love wash over her one final time...

Viper sat up, her eyes wide. Her heart was pounding and the dream flashed through her minds, fragments of Po drifting in and out.

She felt lighter than she had in ages. That great weight holding her back having finally left. Even if it was just a dream, for the moment it felt almost real. Like-

Her thoughts were shattered when she looked around the room. The sun was peaking through the windows, casting its gentle glow across her room and illuminating the bed stand. Where her and Po's figures were resting, the former back in one piece. Him in his 'awesome' pose and her wrapped around him.

Slowly she slithered out of the bed and moved to the figures, her tail wrapping around it slowly. She picked up both toys, the tears forming once more in her eyes. "I'll do it, Po… for you..." she whispered. The pain was still there, still sore. But it felt a little softer, now. A little calmer.

"And one day… when we meet again. I'll have so much to tell you. Just you wait..."


End file.
